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Home , Dogfight, Raymond Collishaw, Roy Brown (RAF officer)

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Chapter 20 War in the Air and at Sea Air Aces in

Almost everyone has heard of the legendary plane far below. He put his Fokker into a steep “Red Baron.” He was the most famous Ger- dive and moved in on the plane’s tail. His tar- man flyer of . But few people get was a young Canadian flier, Wilfred May. know that it was a Canadian, Roy Brown, who It was a tense moment. May’s jammed. finally shot down the Red Baron. Luckily, another Canadian pilot, Captain Roy On 21 , Manfred von Rich- Brown, saw what was happening and swept in thofen, the Red Baron, was flying high above behind the Red Baron. Brown, in his Sopwith the Somme valley in his bright crimson Fok- Camel, opened fire on von Richthofen. The ker triplane. Suddenly, he spotted an Allied Red Baron was hit and fell into a deadly spin. Moments later the German war ace was dead at the age of 26. Today the seat of the Red Baron’s plane is displayed at the Royal Mil- itary Institute in Toronto. You can put your finger through the bullet hole in the seat.

Reflecting/Predicting 1. Based on this story, describe some of the risks World War I flyers took, and Canadian pilot some of the dangers they faced.What Roy Brown. He do you think the life of a World War I once said,“I love flyer was like? flying, not killing.” 2. Examine the picture. Describe the .What might be some advantages and disadvantages of these Manfred von planes in battle? Richthofen, ’s Red Baron.

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Dogfights in the Air hit its own propeller blades. The Germans also During World War I, Canada had no air force of had gasfilled balloons called Zeppelin dirigi- its own. Canadians who wanted to fly joined bles or airships. These were used on observa- the British . It turned out tion missions and bombing raids. Eventually, that many Canadians were excellent flyers. both sides used airships. At the beginning of the war, Germany By 1917, the Allies had developed the seemed to have the advantage in the air. It had , an excellent fighter plane. the most aircraft (400 compared with 156 Soon, the tide began to turn. The Allies started French and 113 British). The Germans had also to take the upper hand in air combat. A group developed a fighter plane called the Fokker. It of Canadian pilots called the Black Flight was armed with a that had a played an important role in gaining control of timed firing mechanism so that bullets did not the skies. In their black planes, they shot down 10 German fighters in one day on 6 June 1917. Over the next few months, they flew many more successful missions. Canada had several famous air aces. An ace was a fighter who had shot down at least five enemy planes. The great air aces included Germany’s , Britain’s Alfred Ball, and Canada’s . Von Richthofen, known as the Red Baron, downed 80 Allied planes. As a group, Canadian fighter pilots brought down 438 enemy aircraft during World War I. Canadians were among the top scoring aces of all the British fliers. It was a remarkable record!

Close combat between two or more planes in the air was called a dogfight. Pilots tried to manoeuvre their light planes so they could dive on the enemy from behind and fire their . World War I flyers lived a dangerous life.The percentage of pilots killed was higher than in any other branch of the military. In late 1916, it was said that the average life of a pilot was Airships were huge balloons with a metal frame. about three weeks.There were no parachutes They were filled with hydrogen gas. Some had plat- to save any who were unlucky enough to be forms on the top. Guns on these platforms could shot down.This painting of a dogfight is by shoot at airplanes overhead.The airships also Canadian artist C.R.W. Nevinson. dropped bombs on Allied cities. 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 316

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Tech Link Aircraft and Submarines of World War I

Aircraft positions. The earliest planes hen the war broke out in were usually single-seaters. W1914, the was a Their maximum speed was new and unproven invention. between 95 and 125 km/h. Few military leaders had any They could stay in the air for confidence that the airplane only an hour without re- could be an effective in fuelling. As the war went on, war. At first, unarmed planes both sides developed more were used only to scout enemy effective fighter planes.

Sopwith Camel (British ) TechFacts Maximum speed: 182 km/h Wing span: 8.5 m Length: 5.7 m Range: 249 km Armament: two belt-fed Vickers 0.303 machine guns

Fokker (German triplane) TechFacts Maximum speed: 164 km/h Wing span: 7.2 m Length: 5.7 m Range: 298 km Armament: two fixed 7.92 mm Spandau LMG 09/15 machine guns 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 317

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Interestingly, the Dutch designer of the Fokker plane, , offered it first to the British. When they refused it, he sold it to the Germans and it became an excellent fighter plane in the war. Submarines World War I submarines were small. Usually, they carried about 35 sailors and 12 torpedoes. But their torpedoes could sink the largest ships. Surface boats had to develop special methods to detect and destroy enemy sub- marines. Navies developed hydrophones (listen- ing equipment) to pick up the sound of the submarines’ engines underwater. By the end of the war, they also used sound echoes to detect 2. Both sides also developed effective machine the position of the submarines. The surface guns during the war. Soldiers called them “cof- ships then dropped depth charges (explosive fee grinders” because they ground to pieces devices) to destroy the U-boats. anyone or anything in their range. It was partly because machine guns mowed down any attacking soldiers who ventured out of 1. Competition to build better helped their trenches that neither side could gain to spur on technological developments dur- much territory in the war.What do you think ing the war. Did these developments have of this technological advance? What are some benefits after the war? How do you think the of the advantages and disadvantages of tech- advances in airplanes and submarines could nological advances during wartimes? be used in peacetime?

Signal Periscopes mast

Bridge steering wheel Conning tower

Torpedo hatchway Rail Steering rudder Steering wheel Deck

Reversing gear Sleeping berths Torpedo Accumulators tubes Propellers Outer water- Steering rudder Torpedo-trimming tanks ballast tanks Detachable safety keel Stern hydroplanes Inner water-ballast tanks Fuel oil Forward tanks hydroplanes

Electric Oil engines Sleeping berths Torpedo motors tubes

Outer hull Inner hull Central driving position Officer’s quarters 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 318

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Profile Billy Bishop: Canadian War Ace

uring World War I, a Billy Bishop was awarded Dyoung pilot named Billy the by Britain Bishop became a Canadian and the highest honours of hero. As a boy in Owen Sound, . He went on to become Ontario, Billy Bishop practised Director of Recruiting for the shooting at moving targets dur- with his rifle in the ing World War II in 1940. woods. His firing expertise made him one of the greatest 1. What qualities do you think fighter pilots the an air ace like Billy Bishop Allies ever had. needed to have? On his first day 2. Find out more about in action, he another accomplished shot down a Canadian flyer in the war German plane. such as Billy Barker, In one five-day , Roy period, Bishop Brown,A.A. McLeod, or destroyed 13 Donald McLaren.Where planes. were they from, what Billy often role did they play in the flew the skies war, and what were their alone. On one accomplishments? occasion, he 3. Why do you think it is attacked a German important that we remember air base near people like Billy Bishop? How Cambrai, France. can we remember all the Two German fighters others who fought but are flew up to chase him. not as well known? Bishop shot down both of them. Two more enemy planes came up to attack him. One fell from the deadly fire from Bishop’s gun. The other was driven off, out of ammunition. Billy Bishop returned safely to his home field. 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 319

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Fast Forward Billy Bishop Goes to War Billy Bishop Goes to War is one of the most successful Canadian plays ever written. It cele- brates the life and accomplishments of Bishop and is dedicated to all who fought in World War I. You can still see the play performed across the country. It was inspired by a book called Winged Warfare, an autobiography of Billy Bishop including accounts of his famous flights. In 1981, the play won the Governor-General’s award for drama. It has been seen by over 350 000 people and has aired on television. “Billy Bishop Goes to War is dedicated to all those who didn’t come back from the war, and to all those who did and wondered why.” — writer, John Gray

The War at Sea war. But the attack on American citizens In early May 1915, the British passenger liner shocked the American people. It turned public Lusitania was crossing the Atlantic Ocean. opinion in the against Germany. Suddenly, a torpedo streaked through the Eventually, the United States entered the war waves toward the ship. Moments later there on the side of the Allies. was an explosion, panic, chaos, and death. The Lusitania was destroyed and 1098 people drowned. At sea, there was a new terror—that torpedo had been fired from a submarine! The submarine or U-boat (Unterseeboot) was Germany’s most deadly weapon. German submarines had been prowling the seas since the beginning of the war. By late 1916, German submarines were sinking an average of 160 ships per month. Germany was predicting an early defeat for Britain. But the sinking of the Lusitania A German submarine sinks an American ship.The was a turning point. Many of the pas- early submarines could stay under the surface for sengers on the Lusitania were two and a half hours. Each carried 12 torpedoes Americans including many women and that could be fired underwater at a moving target. children. Up to that point, the United German U-boats were the gravest threat the Allies States had stayed out of this European faced. U-boats downed 5408 Allied ships during the war. Germany lost only 178 submarines. 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 320

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The U-boat Menace stant watch like sheepdogs guarding a flock of By 1917, the war on the Western Front still sheep. The convoy system helped get necessary had not been won. Germany decided that supplies through to Britain again. more drastic action was needed to defeat the Another key turning point came in 1917 Allies. The German navy introduced a policy of when the United States entered the war. “unrestricted submarine warfare.” This meant German U-boats had continued to sink that German U-boats would sink any Allied American ships and the United States had had or neutral ships approaching Britain, not just enough. American soldiers and vast new sup- warships. They wanted to cut off all supplies plies of equipment got ready to go to . of food and weapons from getting through to This move helped to turn the tide in favour of Britain. The results of this policy were almost the Allies. disastrous for Britain. In the first four months, Canada’s main contribution to the war at Germany sank over 1000 Allied ships. Britain sea was providing sailors and ships for the had to find a way to deal with the U-boat . Canadian shipyards built more threat. than 60 anti-submarine ships and more than 500 One answer was the convoy system. smaller anti-submarine motor launches. Supply ships used to sail alone from Canada Thousands of Canadians served in the British and the United States to Britain. Now they Royal Navy, in the Royal Naval Canadian began to sail in fleets. The ships were escorted Volunteer Reserve, and in the Royal Naval Air by armed destroyers. The destroyers kept con- Service.

Canada’s navy was formed in 1910, but at the beginning of the war in 1914, it had only two warships.Yachts and other vessels were bought, refitted, and armed for combat.These ships had little to defend them against German U-boats, but many took part in convoys protecting vital supply ships on their way to Britain.This painting by N.Wilkinson shows the transport of Canadian troops. By the end of the war, Canada’s navy had 112 vessels and 5500 members. 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 321

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Fast Forward Canada’s Armed Forces Today, Canada’s navy, army, and airforce are any terrorist activities or civil unrest (violent united into the Canadian Armed Forces protests, etc.). Around the world, the (CAF). While the role of the Armed Canadian Forces take part in peace- Forces is still to protect Canada keeping missions and humanitarian against any military threat, it is also efforts such as delivering food, involved in many other important building roads, bridges, and activities at home and around the schools, and caring for the sick world. At home, the Armed Forces and wounded. In the 1990s, help during times of emergency Canadian peacekeepers served in such as environmental disasters such areas as Haiti, Somalia, (floods, avalanches, forest fires, etc.), Rwanda, and Bosnia. in search-and-rescue missions, in stopping shipments of illegal drugs, in pro- Find out more about Canada’s Armed Forces today by visiting their web site at tecting Canada’s fisheries, and in responding to www.dnd.ca.

The Last Hundred Days Thousands of German soldiers poured into By the spring of 1918, Germany faced a crisis. France. But on 8 August 1918, Canadian and German submarine attacks on supply ships had Allied troops launched a counterattack. Fresh failed to force Britain to surrender. Now the American troops with tanks had arrived and United States had entered the war. Austria- were a great encouragement for the Allies. Sup- Hungary and Turkey, Germany’s allies, were on ported by 500 tanks, the Allies swept north and the point of collapse. The only hope for east toward Germany. The Germans fought hard, Germany was to launch a mighty offensive on but they fell back steadily. Eventually, the Allies the Western Front before the full United States re-captured all of France and then Belgium. army could arrive in Europe. By November, the Allies had reached the borders of Germany. On 11 , at a predawn ceremony, Germany formally sur- rendered. Fighting ended at 11:00 a.m. on that morning. Five minutes before 11:00 a sniper shot George Price. Price was the last Canadian to die in World War I.

For some Canadian troops, the war ended on the streets of the Belgian town of Mons.They freed the town from German control. Belgians proudly flew their country’s flags and grateful Belgians shouted their thanks,“Vive les braves Canadiens!” The war was finally over. 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 322

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Skill Building: A Research Report—Part 2

You have researched information for your For example, in your research you decided report.What’s next? You need to organize your to investigate three types of planes. Enter these information and choose an exciting way to pre- sub-topics on an outline organizer like the example sent your report.There are many different ways on the next page.Your subpoints would include of communicating your information.Take a look the three main aspects of your topic that you at the chart of possibilities below.You can focused on: technical descriptions of the planes, choose one or a combination of these.Which- how they were used, and how effective they were. ever method you choose, your report will be most Plan where you would include photos, dia- effective if you go through the following steps. grams, charts, or any other features of your presentation. If you will be presenting your report Step 1 Prepare an Outline as a museum exhibit or scrapbook, for example, 1. Develop an outline for your report.Your outline what you will show at each station of the outline is a way to organize the information you exhibit or on each page of the scrapbook. have researched. It gives you a framework for As a conclusion, you could present your ideas your report. on how effective the planes were.You could also tell how technology can be used for both Ways of Presenting a Report positive and negative purposes.

Oral/Audio Visual Written Step 2 Draft Your Report 2. Prepare a draft copy of your skit slide show report report.Your report will have three role play overheads booklet main parts, no matter what form of panel discussion collection of artifacts newspaper presentation it takes. radio broadcast scrapbook letter or diary interview models poem A) Introduction Decide on an introduction that will talk with visuals diagrams play grab the reader’s, listener’s, or viewer’s demonstration charts and graphs memoir attention. It should give a clear and news broadcast maps concise statement of the focus topic. puppet show film or video simulation game bulletin board display B) Body music and recordings photo collection In the body of your report, develop cartoon or comic each of your main ideas or sub-topics. strip Be sure the main idea is clearly timeline mural expressed in a topic sentence or head- poster ing.The subpoints should refer to and brochure/pamphlet develop the main idea. Put the main costumes ideas in the most effective order, leav- time capsule ing the best idea to the last. learning centre vertical file 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 323

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Sample Outline Organizer

Names in group: ______Teacher’s Name: ______Class: ______Due Date: ______

Topic/Question: Types of airplanes used in World War I

Main Idea/Sub-Topic: Main Idea/Sub-Topic: Main Idea/Sub-Topic: Fokker Sopwith Camel Airships

Subpoints: Subpoints: Subpoints: ______

Conclusion: ______

C) Conclusion Include a conclusion that: not be clear, or there may be too much or too • summarizes your main points little information in some areas. Make changes • supports what you have said and polish your report. • leaves your audience with something interesting to think about. Step 4 Present Your Report 5. Set up your presentation at a station in your Step 3 Edit and Revise classroom. Other students can tour the room 3. Edit your draft. Be sure that: and visit the various presentations. • you have done what the assignment asked • the report is organized and makes sense to 6. Develop ten questions about your topic.Your the reader/listener/viewer classmates can answer the questions when they • the sentences vary in length and structure visit your display. Encourage them to ask ques- and the spelling, grammar, capitalization, and tions as well. punctuation are correct • any diagrams, pictures, charts, graphs, models, Step 5 Evaluate audio clips etc. are clear, well presented or 7. Have others evaluate how useful your pre- explained, and clearly support the ideas you sentation was in helping them learn about your want to get across topic.What could you do differently next time to improve your work? 4. Have a partner review your report and give suggestions for improvements. Something may 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 324

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Culture Link War Poetry

ohn McCrae was a Canadian This poem and the poppies Jdoctor from Guelph, Ontario, described in it have been part serving in France. On 3 May of the 11 November Remem- 1915, he was sitting on the step brance Day ceremonies ever of an ambulance. since. A soldier who was there The Battle of said, “It seemed to me that this In Flanders Fields Ypres was in its poem was an exact description ninth day. The of the scene.” In Flanders fields the poppies blow previous night Between the crosses, row on row, McCrae had That mark our place; and in the sky buried his best 1. What images does this The larks, still bravely singing, fly friend who had poem create? Describe the Scarce heard amid the guns below. been blown to scene in your own words or We are the Dead. Short days ago bits by an create a sketch. We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, artillery shell. 2. Who is speaking in the Loved and were loved, and now we lie Looking over poem? Why do you think the In Flanders fields. the desolate poem is written from this scene of the point of view? Take up our quarrel with the foe; crosses in the 3. What makes this poem To you, from failing hands we throw fields, he wrote memorable? The torch; be yours to hold it high. the lines of a 4. John McCrae wrote the If ye break faith with us who die poem that poem while were still We shall not sleep, though poppies grow started, “In raging in World War I. He In Flanders fields. Flanders Fields never witnessed the peace. the poppies In 1918, he was killed while —Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae blow...” The on active service in France. poem was com- Write a one stanza response pleted in about to John McCrae’s poem, 20 minutes. McCrae made telling of the peace. copies of the poem and gave them to all his friends. The 001110010011110100011101000 100110101000111010011101011 poem was published in 1915, 001010110101001110001101010 010110111100101100001011010Netsurfer and is one of the most memo- 001101101010101001101011010 rable war poems ever written.o 100101010010100100101010010 000010101100101001001010101 “In Flanders Fields” was 010111010100101111011100001Find out about some read at the first observance 100101001011010100101010101World War I poets 101000011100100111101000111 of Armistice Day in 1918 010001001101010001110100111and their poetry by visiting this when the war finally ended. 010110010101101010011100011 010100101101111001011000010web site 110100011011010101010011110 100011101000100110101000111www.emory.edu/ 100011101000100110101000111English/LostPoets 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 325

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Activities Understanding Concepts

1. Add these new terms to your Factfile. airships dogfight convoy system Black Flight Lusitania 11 November 1918 ace U-boat 2. a) Describe the various roles played by the air force in World War I. b) What were the dangers of being a pilot in World War I? c) In spite of the dangers, why do you think men signed up for the airforce? 3. In what ways did the purpose and design of airplanes change as the war went on? Why was Fokker’s invention so important? 4. a) Why was the submarine a revolutionary new weapon? b) How did the Allies try to defend themselves against the threat of submarines? c) Which method of defence do you think was the most effective? Why? Digging Deeper

5. a) THINK Explain why Germany sank the Lusitania. b) DISCUSS Was the sinking of a civilian passenger ship a justifiable act in a time of war? Explain your answer.

6. CREATE Create a political cartoon that makes a statement about the sinking of the Lusitania. Imagine the cartoon will appear in an American or Canadian newspaper.

7. WRITE Why did Germany start a policy of “unrestricted submarine warfare?” How effective was it? Write a news bulletin announcing the policy and the expected effects.Write it either from the German or Canadian point of view.

8. DIAGRAM Create a web diagram to illustrate how Canadians helped to win the war in the air and at sea. Making New Connections

9. DEBATE Debate the pros and cons of hitting civilian targets (e.g., sinking passenger ships, bombing cities) as a strategy of war.

10. THINK/COMPARE Brainstorm some differences between modern wars and World War I. Consider the types of weapons used, how they are used, the 314-326 120820 11/1/04 3:55 PM Page 326

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number of countries involved, the number of soldiers involved, and the number of casualties. Use a comparison organizer in your answer.Write some conclu- sions about the major differences between modern warfare and warfare in World War I. [HINT:You may want to use the Gulf War in your comparison. It was one of the most recent wars in modern history.]

11. INVESTIGATE The Snowbirds are the most famous modern Canadian flyers. Find out what qualifications someone needs to become a Snowbird flyer. How are these flyers trained? What is their major role today? How does it compare with the role of flyers during World War I?

12. CURRENT EVENTS In groups, go through the international news sections in recent national newspapers or magazines such as The Globe and Mail, The National Post, or Maclean’s. Find reports on the actions of Canadian peace- keepers in various parts of the world. Create a bulletin board display with articles and pictures.